ESCANABA — An Escanaba man was sentenced to a year in jail for assaulting a man with a baseball bat Monday in Delta County Circuit Court.

Collin Wade Nelson, 21, of 525 N. 19th St., Escanaba, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault). He was sentenced to one year in jail and given credit for 149 days already served.

Nelson will be placed on probation for two years. He was also ordered to pay $1,148 in fines and costs.

“You’re very fortunate that you’re not here on a different charge with a different outcome for this individual,” Delta County Circuit Court Judge John Economopoulos said.

Nelson was bound over to circuit court in February and arraigned in district court on Jan. 28 for allegedly assaulting another Escanaba man with a baseball bat.

The incident occurred on Jan. 23 in a house on the 500 block of North 19th Street. The victim was asleep and was hit multiple times in the knee, hip area, arm/wrist and lower back with a baseball bat.

The victim was treated for his injuries at OSF St. Francis Hospital.

During the sentencing, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Wickman said Nelson has an escalating criminal history with prior charges of drug use and domestic violence.

“There are multiple priors that show some of that progression, most recently with his domestic violence in January 2018 and now we have felonious assault in this court. There’s clearly an issue with substances with the prior marijuana convictions and he admitted to being on benzos at the time of this assault — and he can’t really remember what happened because of that substance,” she said.

John Bergman, Nelson’s court appointed attorney, said Nelson did have remorse for what he had done. With drug use being a factor in the crime, Bergman said he hoped the court would follow the recommendation of probation as it would help Nelson get his life back on track.

Nelson was allowed time to speak at his hearing and did so about how he wished to served his sentence so he could focus on his son.

“I just want to say that I am aware of how serious this is and there’s nothing I can really say to soften it up any bit. There’s not a day that goes by that I really don’t feel — think and feel I’m sorry. To not only him and his family, but for me and mine. I’d like to just do my time. I’d like to just move on with my life and be something my son can be proud of and stay away from the criminal factor of it,” he said.